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Outgoing UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank suggests ‘persistence and stubbornness’ for successor

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

On the cusp of leaving the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Chancellor Rebecca Blank used a final news conference Wednesday to take somewhat of a victory lap, saying she is leaving the university on strong financial footing and in a much better place.

But she also took the opportunity to highlight “unfinished agenda” items, such as increasing diversity and students’ sense of belonging on campus.

‘We’re struggling to pay for it’: A student’s perspective on the rising cost of college

Spectrum News

Quoted: Professor Nicholas Hillman is recognized in the acknowledgments of the Wisconsin Policy Forum’s report. He said the data is sobering, but does not mean the worst for Wisconsin students. He said it should, however, be a wake-up call to lawmakers.

“I do think it’s a chance for these issues to be prioritized, like how do we pay for college and how do we prioritize finances so people who want to go can go,” he said. “Reduce those barriers, at the least.”

Hillman said a primary reason for rising college tuition is because running a university is expensive. Those expenses range from paying faculty to maintaining costly facilities.

Hillman helped create UW-Madison’s Bucky’s Tuition Promise. The program began four years ago and covers tuition costs annually for Wisconsin-based students. Their household income must be $60,000, or less.

Report: Wisconsin Legislature maps have the worst partisan-bias of any court-drawn map in the nation

WUWM

Noted: The new maps, drawn by the Wisconsin State Legislature, are considered the most partisan-biased, court-adopted maps in the nation. That’s according to a new analysis from the University of Wisconsin Law School. The maps heavily advantage Republican politicians, all but guaranteeing Republican-rule in the state Legislature, regardless of what most voters want.

The analysis looked at four metrics: partisan-bias, efficiency gap, mean-median difference and declination.

“On every one of these standard partisan fairness metrics, these new maps are the worst, court-adopted maps that we’ve seen anywhere in the country,” says Rob Yablon, an associate professor at the law school, who published the analysis.

Health experts optimistic that even if COVID cases rise, hospitalizations and deaths should remain under control

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Quoted: The expansion of “test-to-treat” clinics is key, said Ajay Sethi, an associate professor of population health sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Test-to-treat locations are federally-designated one-stop shops where patients to get tested for COVID-19 and, if medication is deemed appropriate, get a prescription filled right away. There are 16 test-to-treat locations in Wisconsin so far.

“When we can scale that up to a point where we can feel confident that, ‘Hey, I’ve got symptoms, let me pop into that CVS, get tested, it’s positive, pharmacist gives me Paxlovid,’ that’s the next chapter,” Sethi said. “I think it’s the distribution issues that are keeping this from being a page-turner.”

Weekend Roundup: UW-Madison announces next leader of Global Health Institute

Wisconsin Public Radio

The next director of the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Global Health Institute has decades of experience studying viruses, including those that jump from animals to humans, and ways to prevent their spread.

Jorge Osorio is an expert in epidemiology, virology and vaccines and a professor in the School of Veterinary Medicine. He takes over his role in May, according to the news shared Tuesday by UW-Madison, and replaces Jonathan Patz, a professor and director of the institute since its founding in 2011.

Conservationists and a private buyer are both seeking a pristine slice of Lake Michigan land. What to know about the Cedar Gorge Clay Bluffs

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Noted: So far, the buyer has only said they are a resident of the state and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in a letter shared by Rep. Rob Brooks, R-Saukville. The buyer also shared in the letter their “very real appreciation for nature, the environment, and the need to protect it over time.”

Here are the best native plants to put in your yard in Milwaukee

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Noted: Susan Carpenter, plant curator at the University of Wisconsin Arboretum, suggested putting these plants in your yard to nourish native bees:

  • Early season: Virginia bluebells, shooting star, wild lupine, wood betony, serviceberry, willow
  • Midseason: white or cream false indigo, penstemon, Culver’s root, wild bergamot (superfood and immune builder), purple coneflower (superfood), leadplant (superfood), common milkweed, American basswood tree (“Do not skip that one. It’s huge, and they love it,” Carpenter said.)
  • Late season: bottle gentian, showy goldenrod (superfood), New England aster (superfood), white turtlehead (immune builder)

New college graduates with degrees in supercomputing, artificial intelligence are in hot demand. ‘War for talent’ gives grads many options.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Noted: University of Wisconsin-Madison research has shown that the majority of bachelor’s degree holders in the state tend to remain here, and that Wisconsin has a relatively low rate of out-migration, also known as “brain drain.” But the number of college-educated workers coming into Wisconsin isn’t that high, according to the research, so the state suffers from a lack of “brain gain.”

The solutions won’t come easily. And there’s probably no “silver bullet” for the entire state, as every region is different, said Matt Kures, a community development specialist with UW-Madison Extension.

‘Around the Farm Table’ explores climate change fighting grain

PBS Wisconsin

Quoted: Featured in the episode is University of Wisconsin-Madison assistant professor of agronomy Valentin Picasso. Picasso’s research team works with Kernza to help farmers develop best practices for crop growing.

“Being able to work with a large team of people to develop a crop that can bring reconciliation between food production and the environment really makes me excited and gives me hope for humanity,” said Picasso.

‘He doesn’t understand medicine is a science’: Ron Johnson escalates ‘guerrilla war’ against medical establishment

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Quoted: Patrick Remington, an emeritus professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, severely criticized Johnson and called his persistent questioning of medical science irresponsible.

“If he had a medical license these would be grounds for malpractice,” said Remington, a former epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “But since he’s not trained in medicine, he should stay in his lane and focus on things he knows about.”

State data: About 6,400 abortions were performed in Wisconsin in 2020

Wisconsin Public Radio

Quoted: Jenny Higgins, a professor and director of the Collaborative for Reproductive Equity at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says it’s more difficult to get an abortion in Wisconsin than it is in many other states.

“We have gone from a supportive state to a hostile state in a relatively short period of time,” she said.

This doctor teaches medical students how to care for underserved populations at this south side community health clinic

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

It’s a gray and rainy Tuesday morning, and Dr. Michelle Buelow is with her patient Johnny at the Parkway Clinic of the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers.

Despite the weather, Johnny, whom Buelow has been taking care of since 2018, is all smiles.

It’s just one of the reasons Buelow, a family medicine physician at the clinic, loves her work.

She was recently awarded the Max Fox Preceptor Award from the University of Wisconsin-Madison for her work. The award is given to a preceptor “whose effective service as a mentor and teacher has guided UW medical students,” according to a news release from the university.

Engineering a sustainable future: Four UW-Madison students repair, improve solar heater at Farley Center

The Verona Press

A 40-year-old technology has been given a facelift at the Farley Center for Peace, Justice and Sustainability thanks to the handiwork and ingenuity of four college students.

Noah Argus, Macauly Donohue, Callan Hanley and Noah Lawinger are all seniors in the University of Wisconsin-Madison mechanical engineering program.

Facing cancer and mortality, Mike Lovell and Mark Mone strengthen their bond, focus on making a difference

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

It started with a recurring pain in Mark Mone’s side, which at one point was so intense it brought him to tears.

After nearly three days of hoping it would subside, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee chancellor’s wife insisted he go to the emergency room. As he lay in a hospital bed, he tapped notes into his iPhone as doctors performed a nine-hour battery of tests.

Russell Wilson Feeling School Spirit With Badger Reunion

Heavy

The Denver Broncos may not have a pick in the first round of the NFL Draft, but there’s been some school spirit swirling around the team in the days leading up to the draft.

Running back Melvin Gordon officially re-signed with Denver on April 27, but the Broncos announced their intentions earlier in the week on Twitter by posting this photo of Gordon and Russell Wilson posing together after a game between the Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks when Wilson was still with Seattle. The two have on different jerseys in the photos, but they’re both flashing ‘W’ signs with their hands, signifying the time when they wore the same jersey at the University of Wisconsin.

Critical forecast tool upgraded just in time for 2022 Atlantic hurricane season

New York Post

A crucial tool that meteorologists use to forecast hurricanes is being upgraded just in time for the start of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.

The University of Wisconsin announced the significant upgrade to the Advanced Dvorak Technique (ADT) and says it will use full-resolution images from weather satellites, better identification of the storm eye location and the ability to analyze hurricanes occurring outside tropical regions.

ADT was developed by researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS).

“The ADT itself is not a prediction tool, but it does help describe the current state of tropical cyclone intensity, which provides the critical starting point for both forecaster and model-based predictions of future track and intensity,” says senior scientist Christopher Velden, who leads the CIMSS Tropical Cyclone Group.

Children’s books need to watch their (skin) tone

Boston Globe

Noted: Books written by historically underrepresented authors increased by 3% in 2020, to 26.8%, while books written about racially diverse characters increased by only 1% to 30%, according to Kathleen Horning, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center. This progress has been further threatened by right-wing efforts to banish the discussion of race from classrooms altogether.

Childhood trauma often heralds incarceration. Now, we’re giving the worst cases a fresh look.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Noted: In 2019, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office partnered with the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee — one of the oldest public-interest law firms in the nation — for a project called the Public Interest Justice Initiative. They reviewed the cases of 50 people sentenced to life in prison for crimes committed when they were children to determine eligibility for early release and parole.

The initiative was launched after the Remington Center at the University of Wisconsin Law School found that more than half the 128 inmates serving life sentences for juvenile offenses were from Milwaukee County. The idea is to see if adjustments should be made, said District Attorney John Chisholm.

A longevity expert says you can extend your life span if you eat more carbs and less protein and fast every 3 months

Insider

Noted: Diets high in plant-based carbs and fats and low in meat and processed food may be best for longevity, according to the researchers, Valter Longo, a professor at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, and Rozalyn M. Anderson of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

As pandemic changes become permanent, some rural communities are booming

ABC Action News

Quoted: Steven Deller, who studies rural economies at the University of Wisconsin, says many smaller cities and towns have moved away from the traditional methods of marketing to outsiders.

“Rather than focus on promoting businesses they’re looking at making their communities a better place to live, to attract people,” he said.

American families need to earn $35.80 an hour just to make ends meet. Few earn that.

CBS News

Noted: An hourly wage of $35.80 equates to about $74,400 in annual income. The average hourly wage stood at $31.73 in March, or about $66,000 annually, according to the latest government data. That means many families are falling behind in their ability to afford the basics, said Marjory Givens, co-director at the County Health Rankings, which is a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

UW ag experts say spring planting dates still on track

Wisconsin State Farmer

Although April has been cold and wet, University of Wisconsin-Madison agronomists say farmers shouldn’t start stressing out just yet.

“Despite the fact that we are about two weeks behind where we were a year ago, we are still on track for maximum yields for corn and soybeans,” says Shawn Conley, UW Soybean and Small Grains Extension Specialist.

According to Joe Lauer, UW-Madison Agronomy Professor, “last year we were earlier than normal – in fact, it was one of the earliest planting seasons on record.”

Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate Michels is no political ‘outsider’

Wisconsin Examiner

Quoted: “Michels’ entry mostly signals a sense of discontent among Republicans with frontrunner Rebecca Kleefisch,” says University of Wisconsin political scientist Barry Burden. “She is the leader for the nomination in terms of traditional indicators such as fundraising, visibility, and conservative credentials. In an earlier political era, her connections to Scott Walker and success as a statewide candidate would have made her a no-brainer for the nomination. Many in the GOP are now pining for someone who will challenge the party establishment and take on other familiar institutions.”

Iowa counties ranked in terms of health by University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute

The Courier

Newly released rankings on the health of people in each county in the United States has Black Hawk and Bremer counties on opposite ends of the spectrum.

The rankings, put together by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute using new data, are meant to help people “understand what influences how long and how well we live.”

Franklin Public Schools to choose from three finalists for its superintendent position

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Noted: Golla is superintendent for the Menomonee Falls School District. Previously, he was the district’s director of curriculum and learning and principal of Menomonee Falls High School. Golla holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from Marian University and is pursuing a doctorate through the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the document said.

Is ‘Name, Image, Likeness’ working? Athletic director Chris McIntosh mostly encouraged by how athletes are benefiting

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Chris McIntosh likely won’t ever forget July 1, 2021.

That was McIntosh’s first official day as Wisconsin’s athletic director.

McIntosh, 44 at the time, had accepted the challenge of replacing Barry Alvarez, his coach at UW and the man who went on to lead UW’s athletic department for nearly two decades.

That same day, college athletes for the first time were allowed to secure compensation for their Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) without facing any NCAA penalties.

Beavers and wolves are key to biodiversity in northern Wisconsin, conservancy group leader says

Wisconsin Public Radio

Quoted: Lisa Naughton is a professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is an expert in tropical biodiversity conservation who has also studied wolf recovery in the state.

“We have to work with private landowners. That inevitably involves some compromise, but it’s urgent,” she said. “We need to keep an eye on biodiversity beyond protected areas. We need to keep our eye on agricultural land use and industrial land use that may have cascading effects for biodiversity.

“And with effort, we can push back,” she continued. “We can turn things around for some species.”

Many of Wisconsin’s nursing students are hired months before they graduate as desperate need continues

Appleton Post-Crescent

Noted: At the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s school of nursing, Associate Deans of Academic Affairs Barbara Pinekenstein and Lisa Bratzke said several students graduating this year had already accepted job offers at the end of the fall semester.

Admissions applications are also starting to stack up. Though it may be too soon to tell if the pandemic has caused more people to be interested in nursing as a career, Rentmeester said 367 people applied for Bellin College’s undergraduate and graduate nursing programs for the upcoming fall, up from a usual of about 320 pre-pandemic.

UW Marching Band to hold first spring concert after COVID-19 cancellations

Wisconsin Public Radio

After making it through the 2020 football season without fans, Corey Pompey said the feeling of his marching band returning to a Camp Randall Stadium full of Badger fans for the first time in 2021 was indescribable.

“For a large chunk of the band, they (had) never marched in the stadium before,” said Pompey, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Marching Band. “They never had that crowd response.”

Behind-the-scenes look at Great Lakes shipwrecks-focused video game

PBS Wisconsin

Noted: The game was produced by PBS Wisconsin Education, Wisconsin Sea Grant, and Field Day Learning Games — an educational game developer within the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Wisconsin Center for Education Research and Wisconsin educators. It complements the PBS Wisconsin Shipwrecks! documentary and virtual reality experience exploring wrecks on the bottom of Wisconsin’s Great Lakes.

Liquid brine clears Wisconsin highways faster, study says

FOX6 News Milwaukee

The use of liquid brine is more effective at keeping highways safe during the winter months, a new report says.

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin – Madison’s Traffic Operations and Safety (TOPS) Lab looked at data from 143 storms occurring in 10 counties across Wisconsin. It compared brine-cleared routes to those nearby cleared with a traditional granular rock-salt method. The researchers found use of liquid brine in winter highway maintenance cleared Wisconsin highways faster, provided better friction on roadways, and reduced overall salt usage.